Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) victory has not just shattered the myth of Narendra Modi-Amit Shah team's invincibility but has also broken a psychological barrier.

People in cities, hundreds of kilometers away from Delhi, including many BJP supporters, are cracking jokes, laughing and seemed genuinely enjoying the landslide.

Perhaps, they are enjoying it like a great Indian tamasha or they are just happy seeing an underdog's victory. One can interpret differently but this was unthinkable for a long time.

In WhatsAPP groups, people complained that how even a slight criticism of Narendra Modi upset the rest and old friends would get angry, as if it was a sort of blasphemy.

Post February 10: Not just cartoons are being shared in social media and even in groups [Facebook, WhatsApp] dominated by the BJP supporters, the laughter is back. Even BJP supporters are sharing these jokes and very few are feeling offended anymore.Congress sympathisers would often rue that 'they crack jokes about Pappu and his mother all the time but if we speak a word, we are cornered and old friends are ready to snap relationships'. 'Yeh ho kya gaya hai'. Yes something had happened to people.

Now, many even seem relieved. They include BJP supporters. Why? I get call from a childhood friend, with whom I had stopped discussing politics long ago, as I didn't want to ruin my friendship. He said, 'checks and balances were required in politics and it would do good for the BJP'.

This will help the party as they won't be complacent anymore and it would also be in the interest of the citizens as both parties would compete in doing good work. Hmm. Such pieces of wisdom are coming from all sides.

WHY THE SHOP OWNER IN THE CORNER IS LAUGHING?

The neighbourhood shopowner waved at me and I had to stop though I was in a hurry. He said, 'ha ha...kya karwa diya Dilli mein...badhiya ho gaya'. I knew, he was a BJP supporter, but why was he enjoying.

Why was he so happy that he felt like sharing it with others. Others were also receiving calls or discussing it. They may or may not like Kejriwal's win but seem to enjoy this 'unexpected thing'. This is in our psyche that we support underdog and naturally such a performance has flabbergasted everyone.

But the question is that why have we suddenly rediscovered the ability to laugh or crack jokes. Many of them will vote for BJP in their states but are right now, savouring the moment. Why they had stopped cracking and making fun of politicians?

This is like old times when after a victory in a cricket match, friends would call each other and discuss. The feeling of joy, when you want to share with others. 'Maza aa gaya yaar, kya kar diya'. There are many such examples since Tuesday.

THE POLARISATION THAT WAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR A YEAR,

In fact, there was a hard polarisation--Modi walas and the rest. So you were a 'traitor' if you didn't love Modi. This sort of positioning can't go on for long. People were simply spellbound. In Jammu-Kashmir, Modi-Shah failed to form government though the BJP got lot of seats.

Now, Delhi has shattered the myth of Modi's invincibility. People realised that he couldn't bring black money or get things done magically, as promised. Yes, even Kejriwal would be put to scrutiny, now.

Modi government is to stay for four years. In fact, it may win states after states. But, at least, people are out of the phase. For long they acted like they were 'possessed'. They are back, being natural. It was a strange psychological barrier. And it has gone.

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